tedlassoo

AE

SDR to Customer Success… is it a death sentence?

So i have been an SDR for almost 3 years now, 1.5 of which has been at my current company where I was the first SDR hired and helped grow the team to what it is today.

I am very well respected and liked by everyone in the company and we have a kick ass product.

Like probably all of you, I got into sales development with the goal of moving into an AE role where id be closing deals and cashing checks. No other pathway ever crossed my mind.

A few months ago, my VP of Marketing started meeting with me and helping me prepare for an inside sales role that was going to be created by Q1/Q2 2022 time frame. We just brought on a CRO 2 months ago and I was told creating an inside sales team was going to be one of her initiatives.

Long story short, I met with her for the first time the other day, where she basically crushed any hope i had of becoming a closer anytime soon and said that she would like me to consider moving into the new customer success team that will be formed next month.

I even asked if she would consider moving me into a field rep role, as the rep that I was supporting just left last week and the territory needs to be supported. I even live in that territory. She didn’t even entertain the idea due to my lack of experience. Understandable.

She explained all the reasons why moving into CS would actually be a good move in terms of my long term growth in this field, and i agreed with a lot of the things she was saying, but….

I want to be closing deals and cashing checks! Period!

I immediately went and applied for a mid market AE role at one of our competitors just to see what would happen, and I actually got an interview.

So, I guess the point of this post is to get some advice from people who have taken the customer success route and eventually became a closer.

Is it worth it? Is customer success actually exciting? Should I just take an AE job at one of our competitors if I end up getting an offer?

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16 comments

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dialmonkey

Member

4

AE (Account Executive)

What are your numbers like? There are a lot of orgs hiring tenured SDRs as smb AEs.
3 years of good performance should have already been rewarded with an AE title. Sounds like you are being taken advantage of based on the info you provided.
All you need is a good story to tell. Everyone is hiring

tedlassoo

Fire Starter

1

AE

Numbers are good. Performance is not the issue. There is just simply no inside role that will be available for at least another year. My dilemma is do i stay and wait in CS or just go somewhere else now. I love my team and believe in the product so it is tough.

dialmonkey

Member

2

AE (Account Executive)

Sounds like you just need the extra confidence push to go get the job you know you want. Why settle? The labor market is too hot right now.

CS -> AE shouldn’t be a problem if you have a good story to tell. ESP since you have the BD experience.

tough in what way?

tedlassoo

Fire Starter

1

AE

Its tough because I believe in the company long term and that makes me want to stay, but the fact that I wont be in the position i want to be in (and know I can succeed in) for at least another year makes me want to look elsewhere

dialmonkey

Member

1

AE (Account Executive)

There is no shortage of great companies and teams. That said I completely understand the moral and emotional dilemma having to choose between loyalty and self fulfillment. Good luck

SaaSguy

Tycoon

3

Account Executive

You deserve to be put into an AE role if you have been hitting your number for 1.5 years- you should of been getting some guidance earlier for the transition. An AM role is a step down.

Upper_Class_SaaS

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Agree with SaasGuy here

TheOverTaker

Politicker

3

Senior Account Executive

market is too hot right now. go find yourself an AE role

CuriousFox

WR Officer

2

🦊

Agreed ‼💯

braintank

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

1) What was the feedback on not letting you become an inside salesperson? I can understand not letting you jump from SDR to field AE, but why not inside?

2) There isn't a clear path from customer success back to AE. In my opinion it's going to make it harder to get to your goal. Only caveat is if your customer success team is closing crazy amounts of upgrades and upsells.

tedlassoo

Fire Starter

1

AE

We just dont have an inside sales team yet and my CRO said we probably wont have one for another year, as the company and product just aren't ready for that yet I guess.

I believe they would move me into that role as soon as it opens, but thats in a year at least, could be even longer, and im just nervous to wait around like that.

Gyro25

Notorious Answer

1

Account Executive

You should be speaking to your vp sales, not your vp of marketing. Csm would definitely be a step down imo. I've been an sdr for 9 months and have told all my leadership my plans to get into a closing role and nothing else. Don't settle.

Lucy710

Politicker

1

Channel Account Manager

If you wanted to be an AM, I could see an argument for CSM- but not if your goal is truly an AE. I would still ask for a detailed job description and maybe ask her WHY she thinks it’s a good fit for you more specifically- but I don’t see the correlation personally.

Diablo

Politicker

1

Sr. AE

My answer won't differ. If you want to be in a closing role, AE could be the right path. Do try to understand why your CRO feels you are the right fit for CSM when you have your track records of doing great as an SDR.

Justatitle

Big Shot

1

Account Executive

Reading through this, I typically have the advice to go get an AE role if it’s available to you. In this case if AE is truly the goal I don’t see the CRO ever giving you a shot in the current state. CS would drive me nuts as you’re just dealing with customer problems and constantly taking gut punches so that’s a no for me. I don’t know that another company will give you a shot as an SDR either as there’s a lack of closing experience. My advice in this case would be to have a transparent conversation with your CRO. “ I want to be an AE here, I understand the role doesn’t exist now and it seems like you are against me moving into that role. If that is true I’m going to have to look elsewhere for career progression.” If they value you they’ll get serious and the worse that happens is they say ok peace and you find a new SDR role 2 weeks later as companies are DESPERATE for SDRs right now.

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

Based on your comments, sounds like they want to get you in to a path forward with the company.

Do not take an outside sales position. You will end up being a CSM for free. In my experience, it is not a position of value. Anywhere.

Lots of low value placed on the CS team, but I have also seen CS roles starting out in the 120's and the 150's.

CS could be an easy path to Account Management. Same as AE but differrnt based on company ideas towards new business.

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